Combination-desk.



L. E. MYERS.

COMBINATION DESK. APPucATlorg FILED FEB. I, 1914.

1,250,625. Patented Dc. 18,1917.

' that'maybe' used on the wall, floor,-table UNITED straws- QFFIQE.

LEWIS lv vnns, or vAtrneelso, x vnmne.

COMBINATION -DESK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. February 7, 1914. Serial No. 817,215.

ToaZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, Lnw s MY RS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Valparaiso, in the county of'Portenand State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination- Desks, of which: the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements'in non collapsible portable, childrens desks or lap without collapsing.,.

In desks o-fthis type as heretofore .made they have been serviceable;, only.-when at}; tachedto a wall or were. provided with a. special easel or frame work, to support them. If-ever used onthe floor. children, were in constant danger because desks; would close themselves. when pushed on the floor. I

The objects in view are to produce a childrens homedesk that .ca'n-beeasily ren+ dered non-collapsible when desired; that can be folded. into small space; that can be usedequally well on any flat surface w ith-.

out dangerto the child; that when fastened.

in an. open position the fastening means may be'locked against accidental displace ment; that may have retainingpositions atvarious points. of "the desk frame.

With these and other. ends, in view I-illus trate in the accompanying ,drawingsu ch an:

A suitable frame is formed of the two end pieces 1 and;2, top pieces 3, 4, middle pieces 5, and bottom pieces 6: Between 5 and 6 vertical strips 57 may be used to divide the space'below 5 into three compart ments A, B, and C. Below 3 the long, com

partment D is bounded by 1, 2, 3 and 5. In this space two rollers, 8" are placedw They have bearing in side pieces 1- and 21' Knobs 9 project on the outside ofthefrar'ne soias to make therollers accessible forturnepleasing. V

The frame may be backed by. a special:

, of the table, thus holding-the table and frame closed. Theabail 18. test nt side,

inga Suitable; heads are formed on the rollers and any. desired friction device to control their speed of rotation may be employed. Compartments A, B, and C may bedivided into smaller ones if desired. It 1s immaterial as to how they are proportionedor formed.

Strip 3 has a groove l0 formed therein to prevent pencils, crayons, etci, laid thereon from rollingoif. A round rod 11 may be secured betweenland. 2,. above 3 and in Patented Dec. 1 1917.

front of4 by which the. desk eanybe easily.

carried from place to place, when closed or. lockedsin anopen position. Instead of this .rod 11 a hand-holemight be formed, in strip; to serve thesame purpose; They might replace each other.

Screw eyes 12 are placed on the outer face of strips; 1 and 2, between the roller .knobs 9 and cooperate with screw hooks 13 that" are threaded into the 'wall at the proper height. Several sets of screw hooks may be placed in the walls at different elevations sofas to accommodate the smallest children as well as larger ones. The lower,

piece 6 of -the frame may be thickened cen-' trally throughout its length, as at 14 so as to form two rabbeted edges 15, against which the table portion of the desk rests wheninrus'e on the wall or floor. .The end pieceslland 2 of-the frame depend downward at, 16; below strip 4 and 6 forming notches which correspond: with the edges 15 of the strip 14. As shown these notches are not the same in width. This is immaterial as they couldbe duplicates of each other ifdesired and the thickening strip 14 might be made as thick as the projections 16. In factifthis strip extended under the pieces land '2 extensions 16 would not be required,

though the a ppearance would not be as chart or industrial map 17, which will prevent the contents of the various compartments being lost.

A] one piece bail 18 or equivalent H means is employed to support the tableportion of the desk. It is let into notches formedonthe rear edges; ofstrips 1, 2 and 7. Spring, catches, 19 are placed on each edge of the frame; They serve to formbearings for the bail, and their free'ends 20 snub into grooves offthe reinforcing strips sections 21 and short ends 22 that pass into holes of the table from which they are easily removable when it is desired to reverse 1t. i

The table has one face smoothly polished and the other treated so as to readily take chalk crayons. It has stiffening strips 25. placed along each edge. In these pairs of strips holes 26 are formed on the outside edges of the strips for ends 22 of the bail. These holes are placed near the ends of the strips 25 so that the bail may be attached in either set when the board is turned upside down, ccording to which face is to be used. The strips have grooves 27 above and below the board 24-, formed along their inner edges into which springs 20 snub, thereby 'serving to hold the table or board against the frame when the desk is closed.

In order that the table 2 1 may be locked to the frame with its faredge projecting under strip 6 and abutting strip 14 1 pro- 'vide a bolt 28 which passes through a hole in side piece 1 and enters hole 29 of rein-- forcing pieces 25. As many of these holes as are needed are formed on the inner face of strips 25, near their ends to conform to the positions in which the table is to be used. 7

A groove 30 is cut into 6 as shown in Fig. i so that the bolt 28 may be free to slide endwise therein. A metallic bearing 31 is provided for the bolt though any other form of retaining member may be used. The bolt 28 has an upturned end 32 whereby it can be manipulated. This, when pressed forward after the bolt has entered one of the openings 29 rests in a transverse groove 33 which serves to hold the bolt from slipping out of engagement with the side bars 25, except when Wanted. The groove 33 might be made rearward of the bolt and a similar groove made to accommodate 82 when the bolt is found in its withdrawn position.

When the table is placed in notches 34;

formed in frame strips 1, 2 and 7 it may be held by placing screw eyes 35 into the end pieces 25 and using hooks 36 secured to the sides of frame pieces 1 and 2. If the table is to be used in conjunction with the chart or map 17 it is swung around the bottom of the frame and made to abut the rear edge 15 of thickening 14. When used in this connection one or two pivoted hooks 37 secured to the rear edges of the frame pieces 1 and 2 are caused to engage holes 29 and thus securely hold the table and frame as a single unit. 7 My improvements increase the flexibility of use of desks of this kind to a'remarkable degree, serving the children during their floor period, stimulating their efforts by freeing them from the limitations of a set environmentthe wall. In many homes it is no small difficulty to find wallspace that removable. reversible board, means for plvot j ing the same to the frame so that the board may be swung against the frame when in a closed position and adapted when opened to stand at an angle to the frame to serve as a desk, and means for retaining the board in rigid angular engagement with the frame when it is in an open position thus'holding the frame and board against collapse when the desk is in use or is being'carried from place to place.

2. A suitable frame, a removable reversible board, means for pivoting the same to the frame so that one edge of the board may seat itself near the bottom end of the frame adjacent its front or back, and means for positively locking the board and frame to each other so that the increased bearing surface of the board will form a substantial support for the frame and on account of" these parts'being locked to each other they cannot be collapsed in being carried from place to place or when used on a table or the floor.

3. In portable desks, a suitable frame provided with compartments, pivotal means secured on the frame having supporting members projecting therefrom, a reversible desk board'removably mounted on the free ends,

and adapted when swung against the'frameto close the compartments and when opened at an angle to the frame to serve as a desk, and means for retaining the board in rigid angularengagement with the frame when open thus holding the frame and board against collapse when the desk is moved about. i 1. In portable desks, a suitable frame provided with compartments, a free ended bail pivoted to the frame so that its ends project from the pivotal portion of the bail, a desk board removably mounted on the free ends, and adapted when swung against the frame to close'said compartments and when opened so as to stand at an angle to the frame to serve as a desk, and means'for retaining the board in engagement with the frame upon either its front or back faces thus holding the frame and board against collapse when the desk is in use or is being carried from place to place. v 5. In portable desks, asuitable frame, pro vided with one or more compartments, a re-' versible desk board, means for removably pivoting the same to the frame, the board being adapted when swung flatly against the frame to close the same and when opened serve as 'a desk, and means. for positively;

locking the board and frame to each other in angular relation when the board is in an open position thus holding the parts against collapse when the desk is in use or is carried from place to place.

6. A suitable frame, end pieces therefor, notches formed on opposite edges of the lower end of the. end pieces, a movable board adapted to engage the notches from either face of the frame, and means for maintain ing a pivotal relation between the board and the frame, and side reinforcements to said board of such a thickness that the bottom edge of the reinforcements and the lower end of the end pieces are approximately on the same plane.

7. A suitable frame, depending end pieces formed at the bottom of said frame,

a bottom member of said frame, having recesses formed lengthwise thereof, a reversible table pivotally secured to said frame, and means for holding one edge of the same locked thereon With the table edge engaging a recess throughout its length. 8. A suitable frame, end pieces therefor, notches formed at their lower extremities, a bottom member having recesses correspond ing to said notches, a movable board adapted to engage the notches and recesses, means for maintaining a pivotal relation between the board and the frame, andside reinforcements to said board conforming in thickness to the vertical depth of said notches.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

Y LEWIS E. MYERS.

Witnesses:

ELMER E. SHR VE, Gno. G. Gnovns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the comniissioner otlatents.

Washington, D. 0. 

